Rolled sleeve finishing machine



Oct. 29, 1957 L. L. LEVINSON. JR 9 ROLLED SLEEVE FINISHING MACHINE Filed July 6, 1956 "IIImIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII/I.

IIIIII/III/IIl/II/[II HIII YIIIIIII/I/II/II/I/Il 2 5 INVENTOR cgmbzwn g Z; BY mm w 22 ATTORNEYS United States Pa e to This invention-relates to -a-new and efl'icient machine for the finishing of the sleeves of garments during the 2,811,291 Ra e te O t- .2 .9.57

a-garme'nt withla sleeve thereon in position for rolled finishing;

.Eig. 2 is a transverse section withparts in elevation;

and

Fig.3 is'a section on lines 33 .of Fig. 2. In these views the cabinet 'or housing of the device is indicated at 10. This cabinet may be tapered, as

shown, toward its top and is designed to fit near the .wallfoffalgarment pressing room. The rear panel of :cabirletiIO is.pierced for" the entry of steam inlet and -outlet jp ipes ll l2 and compressed .air inlet pipe 13,

pipes "11 and 13bei1ig'supplied from suitable sources not illustrated. ,Pipes '11 and 12 connect with steam tank 14 wherein is maintained a supply of steam vapor. Steam "from tankr14 is "ducted through a valve 15 and pipe 16 -',.to.a" connectingllpipe 17 forming a" junction with pipe 13,

procedure of pressing or ironing the entire garment. The

device according to the invention may be more precisely termed a rolled sleeve finishing machine, in other words, a machine which, when applied to the wrinkled sleeve of any garment of any type of material, renders the sleeves thereof into smooth tubular form, in contrast to the other method of finishing garment sleeves by pressing or ironing them fiat with longitudinal creases.

Among the objects and advantages of the invention are the ease and rapidity with which even an unskilled operator may finish the sleeves of a considerable volume of garments in succession. The apparatus eliminates any hand ironing or finishing of garment sleeves or shining of material. It raises the nap of velvet, corduroy or like materials to their original appearance. The apparatus according to the invention is cheap to fabricate, simple to operate and occupies a'minimum of space in a cleaning and pressing establishment. The device is operable when connected to suitable sources of steam and compressed air, there being no electrical parts or connections required.

The apparatus according to the invention is characterized by a housing or body member into which are led supply pipes of steam and compressed air, valved through foot controls for both, the steam and air being fed to an upstanding perforated mandrel surrounded by an expansible bag-like member. The steam bag, as it is termed, when in expanded condition exceeds the tubular dimensions of the garment sleeve to be finished.

Cooperating with the steam bag is a flexible, resilient, rotatable suspension hook suitably located with respect to the bag, upon which may be hung a garment on a coat hanger whose sleeves are to be finished. When a garment is placed on the suspension hook of the invention, it is suspended above the steam bag with one sleeve directly over it. The operator may then draw the first sleeve of the garment down over the steam bag, finish it by applying steam and air, reverse the garment and finish the other sleeve without having to handle or crease the body of the garment which can have been previously cleaned or pressed. The resiliency of the suspension hook and its location tends to suspend the garment with sleeve above the steam bag. This resiliency is overcome by the operator of the machine who may easily draw one sleeve and then the other down over the bag against the pressure of the suspension hook, using the upward force exerted by the hook to withdraw the garment sleeve after finishing it. It therefore becomes a quick operation to attach successive hangered garments on the suspension hook and to finish both sleeves.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be noted in connection with the foregoing description of the drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the invention, showing the latter likewise being passed through an air valve 18. Valves 15 and 18 are held in closed positions by the action of springs 19 and 20 but may be selectively opened by foot pressure of the operator exerted on foot treadles or pedals 21 and 22 mounted near the front base of cabinet 10 and respectively connected by chains 23 and 24 to valves 15 and 18. Pedals 21 and 22 are pivotally mounted inside the cabinet 10 and are maintained in inoperative position by a pair of springs such as spring 25, Fig. 2.

Pipe 17 extends through the upper front of cabinet 10 substantially horizontally and terminates at the vertical arm 26. The part of pipe 17 outside the cabinet is provided with suitable insulation to protect the operator.

Extending substantially vertically and threaded to the end of pipe 17 is a hollow perforated mandrel 30, which from the connections above described is capable of delivering through its perforations an emission of steam or of dry air. Mandrel 30 has a length slightly in excess of the longest garment sleeve-length usually encountered.

Over mandrel 30 is fitted a cloth moisture absorber 31. Externally of absorber 31 is loosely fitted an expansible steam bag 32, the bottom end of which is passed over a spreader ring 33 carried on the base of mandrel 30 and secured by a suitable lace 27. A drip pan 34 may be attached to cabinet 10 beneath the mandrel and its attachments above described.

Afiixed to cabinet 10 is an upstanding arm 35 having a resilient curved arm portion 36 connecting with a pivoted spring 37 and swivel 38, and terminating with a garment suspension hook 39. Arm 35 and its extensions are so located that when a garment on a garment hanger is placed on hook 38, one sleeve of the garment will lie approximately directly over mandrel 30 and steam bag 32.

The garment supporting means should supply sufficient resilience to support a garment above the steam bag 32 until the operator draws the sleeve down over bag 32 to be finished. Bag 32 is proportioned to expand into the conical shape illustrated in dotted line position in Fig. 2, these overall dimensions being in excess of the diameter of the usual garment sleeve.

To operate the device, the operator places a garment supported by a garment hanger on hook 39, turns it with the aid of swivel 38 and pivoted arm 36 until one sleeve is over steam bag 32. This is the position of garment 49, Fig. 1. He then depresses pedal 21 to admit steam to bag 32 which expands as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2. Bag 32 emits steam through its fabric which passes through the sleeve of garment 40, which is thus steampressed into tubular shape and is finished by admitting dry compressed air into bag 32 by depressing pedal 22. The garment 40 may then be released by the operator whereupon it is raised above bag 32 by the upward action of the suspension arm and hook. The operator then rotates the garment or swings it laterally to bring its other sleeve into operating position above the steam bag, and this-sleeve is finished in like manner.

It will be appreciated from the above described :that

. if a rack or other easily accessible supply of garments is arranged adjacent the apparatus comprising the invention, they may be rapidly consecutively transferred to the suspension hook and their sleeves finished.

What is claimed is: l. A garment sleeve finishing means including a support, an upstanding perforate mandrel, means for delivering a flow of steam and of air to said mandrel, means for by the operator to bring each sleeve consecutively down over said bag for roll finishing without removal of the garment from said supporting means.

2. The invention according to claim 1, where in the garment supporting means consists of a garment hook suspended on a resilient arm.

3. The invention according to claim 1, where in the garment supporting means includes an overhanging resilient arm located to the side of the mandrel and bag by a distance measured by one-half the width of an average sleeved garment, and a garment hook connected to said arm by a swivel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,239,572 Richa Apr. 22, 1941 2,421,203 Johnson May 27, 1947 2,562,662 Glover July 31, 1951 

